Title, subtitle, cover? What attracts you?
What attracts you to a non-fiction book? I was attracted to one of the books in this collection by the fact that the author was a scientist, and by the implication that he enjoyed a more European understanding of the word "liberal." Did it make me love the book--no so much. So, was I attracted by the wrong thing.
What makes you less keen on reading a non-fiction book? The same book has a very American cover with stark red sky behind the Capitol, and lightning flash. Knowing it was non-fiction, that made me feel it might be heavily political, and I was right. Interesting...
So, cover or blurb? What attracts you and what puts you off?
The Liberal Record by Marcelo Brazzi attracted me with its blurb but not its cover. As I read, the author's assumptions about his readers began to annoy me. But he's writing for a particular audience, and perhaps I'm just not a member of that audience. Read me review and see what you think, and then read the book with some bold dark intense five-star coffee.
Another seriously political book didn't attract me with its cover or its blurb. But the subtitle, that's what had me hooked. The book is Dumpty: the age of Trump in verse by John Lithgow. In verse!!!?? It really is exactly what it says, and it really wouldn't work for audiences of a different political persuasion. But it's zany, fun, depressing, true, intense and ... well, just read it with some more bold dark intense five-star coffee.
Then there are self-help, or writer-help books. A title such as Capture Convert Captivate by Lise Cartwright captures me, even with a boring cover, because it's got 3 Cs and, hey, I like 3s. Plus I'd love to capture more readers. The book's written with short paragraphs, quick instructions, and nice walk-throughs, with examples of website landing pages. All about how to "wow" the reader, it's a quick, encouraging and useful read. Enjoy with some light crisp one-star coffee then try to catch your audience.
Then there's Why Authors Fail by Derek Doepker, a title that "proves" he knows me, so I really have to read it. Actually, I quite like the cover too--it's very typewriter-ish, which is also very me. The books is interesting and useful, encouraging and inspiring, and... well, I guess I'll still fail. But enjoy its well-balanced advice with some well-balanced three-star coffee.
And finally, here's a fiction book that attracted me in a non-fiction kind of way with its cover and subtitle. The Other Thief by Frank McKinney, subtitled a Collision of Love, Flesh and Faith, offers serious advice for Christians who fall under temptation, so perhaps besides being fiction it's also a "self-help/God-help" book. And for all that it's fiction, it reads with the heavy heart of fact. Famous musician, serious temptation, a fall, a secret that leads to further falls, and the pain of admitting fault... The writing creates very genuine dilemmas and resolution, but the blend of fiction with serious need feels weighty and deliberate. Drink some dark intense five-star coffee with this one.
What makes you less keen on reading a non-fiction book? The same book has a very American cover with stark red sky behind the Capitol, and lightning flash. Knowing it was non-fiction, that made me feel it might be heavily political, and I was right. Interesting...
So, cover or blurb? What attracts you and what puts you off?
The Liberal Record by Marcelo Brazzi attracted me with its blurb but not its cover. As I read, the author's assumptions about his readers began to annoy me. But he's writing for a particular audience, and perhaps I'm just not a member of that audience. Read me review and see what you think, and then read the book with some bold dark intense five-star coffee.
Another seriously political book didn't attract me with its cover or its blurb. But the subtitle, that's what had me hooked. The book is Dumpty: the age of Trump in verse by John Lithgow. In verse!!!?? It really is exactly what it says, and it really wouldn't work for audiences of a different political persuasion. But it's zany, fun, depressing, true, intense and ... well, just read it with some more bold dark intense five-star coffee.
Then there are self-help, or writer-help books. A title such as Capture Convert Captivate by Lise Cartwright captures me, even with a boring cover, because it's got 3 Cs and, hey, I like 3s. Plus I'd love to capture more readers. The book's written with short paragraphs, quick instructions, and nice walk-throughs, with examples of website landing pages. All about how to "wow" the reader, it's a quick, encouraging and useful read. Enjoy with some light crisp one-star coffee then try to catch your audience.
Then there's Why Authors Fail by Derek Doepker, a title that "proves" he knows me, so I really have to read it. Actually, I quite like the cover too--it's very typewriter-ish, which is also very me. The books is interesting and useful, encouraging and inspiring, and... well, I guess I'll still fail. But enjoy its well-balanced advice with some well-balanced three-star coffee.
And finally, here's a fiction book that attracted me in a non-fiction kind of way with its cover and subtitle. The Other Thief by Frank McKinney, subtitled a Collision of Love, Flesh and Faith, offers serious advice for Christians who fall under temptation, so perhaps besides being fiction it's also a "self-help/God-help" book. And for all that it's fiction, it reads with the heavy heart of fact. Famous musician, serious temptation, a fall, a secret that leads to further falls, and the pain of admitting fault... The writing creates very genuine dilemmas and resolution, but the blend of fiction with serious need feels weighty and deliberate. Drink some dark intense five-star coffee with this one.
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